Blood and Prophets
by BroodistSquash
Summary: This is a Harry Potter-Twilight cross over. Edward is an assassin on a mission to kill Bella! Can Albus Dumbledore stop him in time so their love can defeat Vodemort?
1. Chapter 1

**The talented ladies Meyer and Rowling own all characters. **

Edward's topaz eyes darkened to onyx as they narrowed in on Bella Swan. He had orders to kill her and being the militant man he was, he always obeyed orders.

He watched Bella, walk down a deserted alleyway all by herself as he sat on top of a tall building ready to pounce. She was wearing a plaid hoodie, skinny jeans, and black converse sneakers. It was all too easy.

The rain drizzled and wafted Bella's intoxicating sent to Edward's god-like nose. She smelled like wild flowers and it made him clench his icy fits in hunger. He tried to zone in on her mind, and become one with his prey. Yet, something was wrong. All Edward heard was deafening silence.

He couldn't hear her thoughts. Edward's world then turned upside down. He had always been able to hear everyone's thoughts. "What was wrong?" he wondered. Edward's pensive thoughts had distracted him from making the kill that was all too easy. Bella Swan was safe, for now…

* * *

From a rooftop out of sight of the thwarted assassin and his would-be prey, Albus Dumbledore let a sigh of relief escape from his lips into the velvety black night. As he watched Edward slink back into the shadows of the adjacent roof, he twirled his wand expertly, removing the Thought-Blocking Spell he had placed on Bella, then stowing the wand in the gold embroidered sleeve of his deep purple robe.

The elderly wizard removed his half-moon spectacles and rubbed his eyes. "That was close," he thought to himself anxiously. "Too close. If I hadn't gotten here when I did, she would have been dead for sure, and so would my last hope...everyone's last hope." His face took on a somber expression as he contemplated the close call.

The wind whistled through bare tree branches as the wizard clambered down the fire escape to the ground. His long white beard bellowed upward in the wind but he was too lost in thought to notice. By the time he reached the cobblestone alley, he had formed a decision.

"It is no use," he thought solemnly. "The situation has become desperate and I can no longer do it alone. I will need help, and soon." With a grim expression settling across his countenance, the wizard spun on his heel and disapparated into the cruel cold night.

Bella Swan stumbled as she entered the Leaky Cauldron to escape. "If I were only more graceful," she though as her eyes panned across the floor of the ancient pub that smelt of beer, pipe tobacco, and a smell she could not quite place. Bella Swan took off her rain-drenched hoodie which revealed vintage graphic Rolling Stones T-shirt.

Bella felt that all eyes on the room were on her. She looked up and immediately realized she was out of place. The people that were gathered into the small pub were dressed in long robes in dark hues of emerald, plumb, navy, mocha, and ebony. All though she was fully clothed she felt naked.

Everyone was whispering in hushed voices, about her, Bella was sure of it. Just as she was about as she was about to walk back into the dark and barren world that was the night someone stopped her.

* * *

He had long silver hair and his blue eyes sparkled like the sea from beneath his half-moon spectacles. He wore a tall pointed hat. It was purple and had stars and moons embroidered it in golden thread. Deep lines and wrinkles covered his ghostly pale hands and face. Bella, being as perceptive as she was, knew that he was from a time and place of long ago.

"Hello" he said ominously, "We've been waiting for you Isabella. My Name is Albus Dumbledore."

"H-how do you know my name?" Bella stuttered quizzically. Her eyebrows contracted over her deep chocolate eyes. Her voice echoed loudly in the suddenly silent pub and she tried to hide behind her veil of mahogany hair.

Dumbledore let out a whimsical chuckle, his periwinkle eyes twinkling. "Oh, Isabella, we know a great deal about you," he intoned. "You are to play a vital role in the future of our world."

Bella felt stunned beyond belief. "A vital role?" she wondered silently. "But I'm so average...so ordinary! I was just walking home from the library!" Her eyes took in the otherworldly assortment of people arrayed in the dingy pub, all watching her with great intensity. She dropped her eyes to study the tips of her green Converse sneakers, on which she had written Shakespeare quotes with a Sharpie. The familiar words did nothing to calm the butterflies which were broiling in her stomach. "They must have the wrong person," she concluded.

Bella's distress and confusion scrolled across her face and Dumbledore quickly perceived her uncertainty. With a lightning-quick movement, he snatched her hand from her side and led her across the pub. Bella tripped over a crack in the floorboards and almost tumbled into the crowd, but the strangely dressed people shied away before she touched them. Almost before she knew she had moved, Bella was standing in front of a nondescript, rough brick wall at the the back of the pub.

"I know this must be a little overwhelming, Isabella," Dumbledore informed her. He pulled what looked like a thin stick of wood from the sleeve of his robe. "I shall explain in due time. But first, we need to get you someplace safe. As long as you remain here, you are in grave danger."

* * *

Edward Cullen ran his pale hands through his copper colored hair. He paced about the corridor outside of his superior's makeshift office. He was surely in trouble in trouble now.

Edward had never failed to kill anyone before. Everything about him made him the perfect predator. He was fast, hand superior senses and reflexes and his angelic façade was perfect for luring in his prey. Edward Cullen was made to kill, so why has he let his frail muggle target escape and why couldn't he get the thought of her chocolate colored eyes out of his head?

Edward had difficulty figuring out my his superior, Neville Longbottom wanted to have Miss Swan, "done away with." Sure, it was beyond freakishly odd that Edward couldn't read her thoughts, but she seemed harmless enough. She was a frail human, who didn't have any magical abilities, and yet her death mattered so much to Neville.

Neville sat behind his desk staring at a moving picture of his parents through his silver colored eyes. The photo was taken long before Neville was born and long before the Cretaceous Curse had stolen his parents sanity. Neville felt has though the world was on his shoulders, but he assured himself the guilt would pass. "Weary is the man, who bargains with The Dark Lord," he thought as his fresh dark mark burned upon his arm. Neville rationalized that insignificant Bella Swan's death was a small price to pay for is parent's sanity. "When my parents have their senses back," he thought "We can defeat Voldemort together."

**Tell me what you think? Reviews are more than welcome! I hope to post really soon. This story is flowing out of me like creative water!**


	2. Chapter 2

**All characters are property of Meyrer and JK! I own nothing!**

Outside Neville's office, Edward took a deep breath in attempt to calm himself. He swallowed back fear and anger in the same bitter gulp, like drinking vinegar or some other bitter drink. Thoughts ran through his mind. "It's degrading enough to have to work under the service of a lousy human," he reflected, "but now I have to grovel at his feet!" A scowl stretched across his god-like face as he strode toward the door.

* * *

Dumbledore raised his wand and tapped it across the wall, picking out a pattern of bricks. As if by magic, the bricks in the wall smoothly slid aside revealing a busy cobblestone street that loomed out of the back of the pub. The blood rushed from Bella's head and for a moment she thought that she would faint from astonishment. "How can this be?" she wondered as she tripped forward lightheadedly.

Dumbledore tightened his grip on her hand to stop her from falling. "Hurry now, Isabella. The sooner you are out of the open, the safer you will be." Over his shoulder, he called to one of the cloaked figures in the pub, "Luna, come along, if you please. I may need your services."

* * *

Neville opened the door with a flick of his wand. Edward stifled a growl of irritation. "Damn wizards, always flaunting their magic," he thought to himself. "Let me get at him without his wand, then we'll see who's more powerful-"

Neville spoke, shattering Edward's musings. "Well, is it done?" the wizard questioned imperiously.

Edward closed his eyes and breathed deeply, hoping that somehow the intake of oxygen would lessen the shame of his failure. "Neville, I regrettably was unable to complete the task."

Neville clenched his wand tightly, and began to raise it, but then tucked it into the pocket of his black and scarlet robe after realizing that his magic would have no effect on the vampire standing before him. Edward closed his eyes and breathed deeply, hoping that somehow the intake of oxygen would lessen the shame of his failure. "Neville, I regrettably was unable to complete the task."

Neville clenched his wand tightly, and began to raise it, but then tucked it into the pocket of his black and scarlet robe after realizing that his magic would have no effect on the vampire standing before him. "And why not?" he asked icily.

"I just couldn't. It was so strange. Something just stopped me, Neville," whispered Edward.

"Edward, someone is on to us. You must go out and find Bella. You must kill, her Edward it is imperative that you do so. Failure in this task will undo all we have been working for!" Neville whispered intensely.

"Sir, I know I may be stepping out of bounds, but why is she so vital in our operation?"

Neville shook his head, sending waves of brown hair into his muddy eyes. "It is not your place to ask that, vampire" he replied harshly. "But I will tell you anyway. The Swan girl is the key to the only weapon with a chance of defeating the Dark Lord." His voice dropped surreptitiously. "It is vital that that weapon be destroyed before it even created."

Edward pictured Bella trotting down the cobblestone alley from earlier that night, her chocolate colored eyes blotting out most of the image for some strange reason. "How could she be part of a weapon?" he mused, tugging up the cuff of his crisp black Oxford shirt to finger his stiff leather bracelet, as he often did while lost in thought. "She's a muggle and a human."

Neville seemed to read his mind, even though that was impossible because the room was warded with a Mind-Blocking spell to keep Edward from reading Neville's mind. "We don't know what the weapon is, or how she will make it. But the prophecy was very specific about her involvement. Making the weapon will take another person as well, but regrettably the prophecy didn't tell us who that was. Still, as long as Bella dies, the weapon should be lost forever."

Suddenly, Neville's features clouded and turned guilty. "I should not have told you this," he snapped sheepishly. "You are a vampire assassin. You know what your job is, so go do it. And don't get distracted again!"

But Edward was already distracted by the image of Bella's molten chocolate eyes still floating in his mind.

* * *

Bella's captivating eyes grew wide as she took in her new surroundings. She found herself to be in a place that looked like a Currier and Ives lithograph or a Norman Rockwell illustration. Time and all its mysteries seem to stand still here. In this place there were all the shops that you could imagine, and all the shops your imagination could not possibly comprehend. Bella often imagined the fantastical window displayed that had filled the New York City department store windows with whimsy during the winter time. The displays before her eyes had nothing on them. There were moving displays of books, animated pictures, and more wonders at every corner. "New York has nothing on this, thought Bella "I must be dreaming." Bella, frozen and unable to move stood there transfixed.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley Isabella," ringed a soprano voice that belonged to the one Dumbledore called Luna.

"Just Bella, please," she murmured, as she turned her floral scented hair into a protective shield that separated her from these strange folk. "And by the way where are we."

"We're in London Bella..." said Luna dreamily in a far-off voice.

"This doesn't look like London."

"That's because we're not in Muggle London, silly!" cried Luna.

"Muggle?"

"You know a non-magical non observant, person as your self. You Muggles are quite a odd lot if you ask me. Why anyone would spray bottled toilet water on themselves is beyond me." said Luna matter of factly.

Bella Swan was highly offended. "I'll have you know, I'm highly observant!" she cried."

"Ahem.." vocalized Albus Dubledore in a a voice that sounded like crushed velvet.

**Please, please send me a review. Do you love this, hate it? I'll never know, unless you write a review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**All Characters are property of JK and Stephanie! **

Bella and Luna stopped bickering long enough to hear what the wizened wizard had to say. "This discussion can be finished another time," he proclaimed. "Right now, we must get Isabella to safety."

Suddenly, Bella felt nervous butterflies take wing in her stomach. "To safety? Am I in danger?" she queried.

Luna started to answer in her dreamy voice but Dumbledore cut her off. "Not now," he murmured. He tightened his grasp on her wrist and led her down an alley to their left. They emerged in front of of a ramshackle shop with a window that sparkled with cloudy dust. Bella caught a glimpse of the sign hanging over the door and barely had time to read what looked like the word "Olivander's" on it before she was propelled through the door by Dumbledore. Inside the shop, he strode across the building and pulled a lever that was sticking out of the floor by the window.

Bella's chocolate eyes widened in surprise as a portion of the floor near the window rolled smoothly back to reveal a spiral staircase that circled downward into a deep black abyss. It reminded her of midnight on a starless night. "After you, Isabella," Dumbledore commanded.

Neville left the room, angrily slamming the door behind him, leaving Edward alone. Edward was now a man on a mission. He reached into the pocket of his inky black wool cloak and stepped into Neville's crackling fireplace. As the flames danced around his god-like body, Edward commanded a in a voice that seemed to come from a thousand devils and a thousand angels all at once,"TO KNOCKTURN ALLEY."

Edward Cullen's body was consumed by a green light. He felt his marble-like body jilt and then ever so gracefully he stepped out of the flame into Borgen and Burkes.

"Mista, Cullen," said a sinister voice from behind the counter.

"Hello, Burke," said Edward darkly.

"Wuahat brings yuh to Knockturn Alley?"

"Business"

"Ah, business. Mista Cullen, 'ave you decided tuh reconsider selling meh some vampy venom?"

"No," said Edward Cullen stepping out the doorway and into the night, his cloak swishing behind him.

Edward Cullen strolled around the corner to Diagon Alley. He could not deny that the place had a certain air about it, but the whimsy, colors, and laughter had no effect on his frozen heart. His blood had run cold a century ago and there was no escaping from who he was...a killer.

* * *

Bella lurched and staggered forward onto the dimly lit spiral staircase. She was still so confused about what was going on. Her forehead wrinkled, expressing that confusion, and she forgot to concentrate on where her feet were carrying her. The spiral staircase turned unexpectedly, forming a spiral, and suddenly Bella found herself tumbling down the stairs. Behind her, the golden embroidery of Dumbledore's sleeve flashed in the air as he attempted to catch hold of her, but his fingers closed over empty air.

"Ahhhhh!" shrieked Bella in distress as she crashed toward the bottom of the wrought iron staircase. As suddenly as her fall had begun, it ended and Bella found herself, mildly bruised, in the middle of a strange room. At one end was an intricately carved wooden table surrounded by elaborately brocaded chairs. At the other was an overflowing bookshelf, and an array of strange silver instruments on another table. The entire room had the feel of a King Arthur's court, if King Arthur had been a mad scientist instead of a king.

"What is this place?" Bella wondered aloud in bemusement.

Dumbledore's voice floated down the stairs behind her as he progressed down them. "It is my lair," he informed her in stately tones.

"It's infested with Larg-blatts," Luna piped up helpfully in a dreamy voice. "But of course a Muggle like you wouldn't notice them."

"Now, now, Luna," Dumbledore reprimanded, his calm tones filling the air like the slow, smooth steps of a turtle. "We still haven't explained to Bella why she is here-"

Dumbledore's calm words were interrupted when one the silver instruments leaped into the air and began to issue multiple high pitched shrieks. "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" it squawked.

"Merlin's beard!" shouted Dumbledore.

"Well, actually I'm Edward," said Edward sarcastically as he slipped out of the shadows.

"How on earth did you-?"

"Manage to be in your secret lair, Dumbledore?" laughed Edward. "I followed you that's how. I'm so fast, I don't even need a stupid invisibility cloak."

Dumbledore was usually good at expecting the unexpected, but he hadn't expected this. Edward Cullen was here in his lair. The time had come, albeit a bit sooner than he had anticipated. Worry left his brow and his eyes began to twinkle in anticipation. He fumbled around in his pocket. His fingers skipped over some lemon drops until he was able to secure his ancient wand. He wielded it over his head and performed the mind blocking incantation Bella, Luna and himself. Albus Dumbledore smiled at himself and for a first time in a long time, he allowed fate to take it's course.

"You mind control, is no match for me. Oh Dumbledoore, Dumbly Dumbly Dumblydoore, do you really think your magic tricks are a match for me?" Edward proclaimed his voice ringing out like tenor bells. He took in a deep breath, Bella's sent filled his lungs and he intoxicating sent became almost impossible to bear. "Control yourself" he thought,"Just a little bit longer."

"Isabella come out of the shadows. It's time that you meet Edward Cullen."

Bella looked at Edward with wide chocolate eyes, that were partially covered by her hair. Even thought they were a bit obstructed, this by no means lessened their power. For an instant their eyes met. Chocolate became one with onyx. In that moment Edward's world went upside down. The only word he could think to describe it was "Hodie." This day, this moment was so powerful that time rearranged itself, for Edward. There was only before this moment and after this moment. Nothing else existed. Edward, felt something slowly expand, in his chest that had never been there before and it was glorious.

The moment ended almost as soon as it had begun, but for Bella and Edward it felt as if it had lasted for several long years. For everyone else, however, it lasted only a moment. Dumbledore noted the dreamy looks in Bella and Edward's smoldering eyes with grim satisfaction. "Finally," he thought to himself, "everything is beginning to go according to plan." He let out a small cackle of glee.

Edward and Bella attempted to tear their eyes away from each other, but each failed miserably. "Who are you?" murmured Bella, lost in the intoxicating facets of Edward's glittering topaz eyes.

"I am Edward Cullen," he replied in a dumbstruck voice, feeling as though he was swimming through a pool of molten chocolate in Bella's gaze. Bella found herself gliding slowly toward him, almost against her own will, as if she was a planet and he was a large star that had blocked out the sun and redirected her gravitational pull.

"I've never heard that name before tonight," Bella breathed. "And yet...somehow I feel as if I've known you for my entire life."

Suddenly the reality of the situation hit Edward. "This is Bella," he realized. "I'm supposed to kill her and yet all I want to do is take her into my arms." An ink blot of melancholy spread across his face, but before he had time to respond to Bella, Dumbledore cut in to the conversation.

"That is because, in way, you have known each other before this moment," he pronounced. "You have known each other because your destinies have been intertwined since the day of your birth."

**Please REVIEW! I have no idea if this is any good. Please if you're out there, write a review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own anything. All characters are property of Rowling and Meyer.**

Bella and Edward examined each other visually with awe and then they turned to Dumbledore and stared at him with the same awestruck expression. Luna Lovegood pushed the star-crossed lovers together with her ring covered hands and let out a giggle that sounded like a xylophone. "Your auras go together," she pointed out quite plainly. Bella then blushed a bright crimson.

Dumbldore took out wand, pointed it into the air and shouted "ACCIO PENSEIVE!." An object shaped much like a fancy baptismal font appeared before of holy water a silvery matter swirled hypnotically about in its basin. "What's a pensieve?" inquired a most earnest Bella as the party joined hands with eachvother. Before she could answer a force much stronger than Edward Cullen pulled them in. Time and space seemed to swirl about them until it suddenly stopped.

"Have we traveled back in time?" Bella inquired. She looked about her new surroundings. She saw a younger Dumbledore with a shorter woman talking in hushed tones to a woman that looked much like a disheveled gipsy fortune teller. The colors in this place seemed muted. Bella felt as though she was Ebenezer Scrooge in a made for TV film of "The Christmas Carroll".

"No silly Bella! We are merely viewer's of Dumbledore's memory." stated Luna like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Don't you Muggles know anything."

"Apparently not."

"You may want to pay attention," admonished Dumbledore in a soft voice.

Bella realized they were standing in a dim, murky pub not unlike the one in which she had met Dumbledore for the first time. Across the room, the younger Dumbledore, resplendent in emerald green robes embroidered with silver crescent moons, and the bedraggled gypsy woman continued their quiet whispered discussion in hushed tones. Suddenly, the woman went stiff, as if a ruler had been shoved down the back of her gauzy orange and purple paisley blouse. She stared straight ahead and began to speak in a loud, harsh voice. It sounded to Bella as if someone had taken a cheese grater to her vocal cords.

"THE CHILD WHO CAN DEFEAT THE DARK LORD WILL BE BORN TO THE BEAUTIFUL SWAN AND WALKING DEATH. " intoned the gypsy woman. "THE CHILD WILL UNITE TWO WORLDS TORN ASUNDER AND THE DARK LORD WILL COWER IN FEAR." The woman suddenly collapsed into the arms of the younger Dumbledore, whose

brow became creased as if many years had been added to his age all at once.

For a moment, Bella was confused by what she had just seen. Then the words she had perceived began to resonate in her head. "The beautiful swan," she thought to herself. "I'm not beautiful, I'm just mousy and plain, but my last name is Swan! But it couldn't be!"

Bella turned to Dumbledore in stunned confusion. In a whisper so soft it could barely be heard she asked "Was she talking about me?"

Luna answered before Dumbledore could open his mouth. As if stating the obvious she replied "Of course she was, Bella Swan."

"Dumbledore. What does this mean? Who is "Walking Death" and who is "The Dark Lord?" I don't understand."

"Isabella." Dumbledore said in a voice that was soothing, like a cup of hot tea. " 'The Dark Lord' " is Lord Voldemort." At this an electric shock went through the bodies of Edward and Luna. They gasped almost in tandem. "Edward, Luna, I did not expect you to react as such. His name is Lord Voldemort. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself, you know."

"Dumbledore, you idiot!" cried Edward. "We have every right to fear He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and so should you! Do you have any idea how many people he has killed, the kind of things he can do, the things he can make you do?"

"I do, Edward," Dumbledore answered gravely, as the pub faded and they found themselves back in the lair, back in reality. "But you can Miss Swan can change that."

Bella Swan turned to Edward. She was so innocent. Hours ago, she could of never imagined the nightmare that she would be sucked into. Edward felt a twinge of guilt in his chest as he looked into her eyes. If it hadn't been for those eyes she would have been cold, drained of all blood, and dead hours ago. Her eyes and the deep connection that they shared spared her for the time being. But was it to last? Edward didn't know. He could see that she was thinking, but he didn't know what. "Edward, are you Walking Death?"

* * *

In his office, Neville was getting impatient. "Where is that blasted vampire?" he muttered to himself, tapping his wand impatiently on his mahogany desk. "It was a simple assassination. Of a Muggle, for crying out loud! He should have been back hours ago..."

Neville stood and proceeded to pace across his office, his red and black robes billowing around his ankles. His face contorted in confusion as he considered his options. Finally, he concluded that there was only one option available. "I'll have to send someone after him to find out what happened. If he failed, we must know, so that the task can be completed."

Retreating to his desk, Neville tapped his wand on the small speaker on his desk. It crackled into life. "Jacob!" he spat into it. "Get yourself to my office now! There's an assignment waiting for you."

A lazy voice, like a hammock on a summer day, emanated from the speaker. "Again? Geeze, boss, I just got off duty."

Neville rolled his eyes in irritation, as if Jacob were a mosquito buzzing in his ear. "I don't care. Mr. Cullen has been gone for hours on a routine assassination and I need you to look into things."

On the other end of the speaker, Jacob heaved a sigh. "Cleaning up after the bloodsucker again? Fine. I'll be at the office in ten." The speaker connection abruptly died.

Neville settled back at his desk to wait. Jacob was the only member of his team who failed to show him proper respect, he mused. Even the vampire was intimidated by his wizard status. And yet, for some reason, Neville found himself strangely looking forward to his arrival...

* * *

Edward suddenly knew what she had been thinking. "Yes," he said softly. "Yes, I am Walking Death. Bella, I'm a vampire."

Tears streamed down Bella's cheeks. Her worst fears had been confirmed. The prophecy was about them. Bella's eyes widened in horror as she came to the realization that the god in front of her was a bloodthirsty monster. She wanted to run, but couldn't. The chord of fate that bound her to Edward was too strong. Bella Swan was a slave to Destiny. There were so many questions she wanted to ask Edward... to ask Dumbledore, but she found herself unable to speak.

Edward sensed her fear. He gently stroked her cheek. It was soft and warm against his granite like fingertips. She felt so fragile. He was afraid too. "We're in this together," he murmured.

* * *

A green smoke billowed in Neville's fireplace. He wheezed asthmatically. Floo Powder always triggered Neville's asthma. He made a mental note to keep an inhaler at his desk, like his grandmother told him to. A tan, shirtless, young man stumbled out of the fireplace coughing and swatting the smoke away from his face. "God, I hate floo powder." he said, in a tenor voice that sounded like the soft hum of a motorcycle.

Neville crossed the room to meet Jacob. He was almost giddy. For a second, Neville felt himself slip back into the awkward boy he had been at Hogwarts. He grimaced as he recalled the taunting and the jeers he had received from his peers. But Jacob was about to help him. Soon Bella would be dead, if she wasn't already. Finally, the time had come where it was Neville's turn to laugh.

**Is anybody out there? Can someone review? I need your input. **


	5. Chapter 5

"So what's the deal, Boss?" queried Jacob, his voice bored but melodious. Neville realized with a start that he had been staring at the other man's sculpted shirtless form in an awkward fashion, and burst into a fit of embarrassed coughing as he tore his eyes away.

"Blasted flu powder!" he muttered. Then, in a louder voice, he replied to Jacob "Like I told you, Edward was sent out on a mission hours ago and he has yet to return. Something must have gone wrong."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Those bloodsuckers. Can't leave them alone for a second, can you?" He took a step closer to Neville. "But then, you know how that goes, right Boss? He winked and Neville felt a crimson blush spread over his cheeks.

"Err-um-yes," he stammered, tripping over his words like a klutzy girl trying to climb an oil-coated staircase. "Anyway, I need you to go after him and finish the job."

"I can do that," smirked Jacob wolfishly. Leaning forward as if he expected Neville to whisper in his ear, he inquired "Who's the target?"

Neville turned an even deeper shade of red, coughed and looked down. "Well-the Black Swan," he mumbled under his breath.

Jacob took a step back, his licorice black eyes widening in astonishment. "The Black Swan? You said it was a routine assassination!"

Neville resisted the temptation to step toward him and close new the gap between them. "Yes, well, I may have understated it a bit..." he admitted. "But it doesn't matter. She is a defenseless Muggle. If it weren't for the prophecy, she would pose no risk to the Dark Lord at all."

* * *

"So you're a...?" inquired Bella to Edward in a voice that was broken and shook.

"It's okay, Bella. Say it. Say it out loud," he cooed.

"Vampire?"

"Yes."

"W-O-W," mouthed Bella. "So, do you..?

"Drink Blood? Yes. Sleep in a coffin? No, I haven't slept in nearly a century."

"At all?"

"I'm a vampire and all you want to know about are my sleeping patterns. Seriously Bella, you're almost as odd as Luna here."

"That's not nice!" interjected Luna.

"Bella, you should be afraid of me. I'm not good for you."

"Edward" addressed Bella as she clasped her hands onto Edward's. It was truly fire and ice. "I am afraid of what's going to happen, but I'm not afraid of you."

* * *

Boss, last time I checked you wanted to defeat the Dark Lord. So, we're helping him now?" asked Jacob. Confusion was written all over his face. He ran his tanned hand through his hair that was the color of night.

"WE ARE JACOB!" shouted Neville. He was trembling now. For some reason, he found it too easy to be angry with Jacob.

"Then why are we...you know?"

"DO NOT UNDERMIND MY AUTHORITY, YOU HOUND! JUST FOLLOW ORDERS!"

Jacob sighed and stormed away from Neville, stung as if his angry tone had a been a hungry mosquito. He grabbed some Floo powder from the jar on Neville's desk and stomped toward the fireplace. "Where am I going?" he snapped.

Neville felt a twinge of regret for his angry words, like a clothespin pinching the lining of his stomach but he pushed the feeling away. After all, he was the boss here and it was time Jacob learned that. "Diagon Alley," he responded stoically. "I assume you know where the Lair is?"

Jacob narrowed his deep, usually calm eyes in irritation. "Of course I know where the Lair is. Even if I didn't, I'd smell that vamp a mile away. I've been at this longer than you have, you know."

Neville seethed in annoyance. "Just go already!" he snapped.

Suddenly, Jacob seemed to reclaim his usual swagger. "Don't get too lonely without me, Boss!" he quipped as he through the powder into the fire. Then he shouted "Borgin and Burkes!" and his tall, sculpture-like form disappeared into the enchanted green flames.

* * *

Edward drew Bella into his cold marble arms, not caring that Dumbledore and Luna were looking one. He gazed into her chocolate eyes, leaning closer and closer until all she could see were his own eyes, shining like molten gold. He leaned closer still and then-

"THE WOLF IS COMING!" shrieked Luna! She fell to the ground in a shaking mess, her blond hair splayed around her like a spider's web.

"What's wrong with her?" shouted Bella in concern.

"She just a vision," reported Dumbledore. "An enemy is approaching. The Lair is no longer safe!"

The silver instrument began to twirl once again. "Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert" it warned.

Jacob Black descended on the stairs lightly and without making a sound. His piercing ink black eyes scanned the lair.

Bella reached for Edward, but Luna pulled her away. They stood in a corner near a bookshelf that contained both magical and non magical volumes and were forced to be spectators. Luna held her want our ready to cast a spell, just in case.

"Hello Eddie," said Jacob extending his hand.

"Hello." said Edward grabbing Jacob's hand with a vice like grip and shaking it. "What brings you here?"

"Well, the boss wanted me to make sure that you were taking care of business. If killing a human is to difficult for you I can take over, but the boss wants her dead now."

"Jacob, said Edward pleadingly. We can't kill her. She's the only way. She can help us defeat the Dark Lord. We need to join forces."

"I work with one wizard and one vampire I draw the line there. Wizards withe their silly little cloaks and their precious little wands, thinking that all the magic and all the power is theirs. The enslave the goblins, the house elves, force the centaurs out into darkness and treat us like we have some disease. Eddie, are you really going to believe Dumbledore's lies. He's using you. Dumbledore is pretending to be this... this... nice grandfatherly figure. He wants you to pledge you life for the "common good." Once you've served your purpose he'll cast you out. Eddie, face it, you're just another one of Dumbledore's sacrificial lambs. Do you want to end up like Dobby?"

Dumbledore stepped forward and shook his head sadly at Jacob's accusations. "Dobby wasn't my sacrificial lamb, Jacob," he sad in a soft but piercing voice. "He was a deeply regrettable casualty, but he was involved through his own free will."

Jacob narrowed his mahogany eyes. "Okay, fine, maybe Dobby knew what he was risking. But what about...the Potter boy?"

Dumbledore went deathly, ghostly pale. Luna made a move as if to leap toward Jacob, but Edward caught hold of her and held her back. "Don't you dare talk about him!" she snapped, her pale face turning pink with anger. "You're nothing but a coward who goes along with You-Know-Who because it's safe! You tell yourself it's okay because you don't deal with him directly but you're nothing but a filthy wanna-be Death Eater so don't you DARE talk about Harry!"

"Whoa, calm down there, Blondie," drawled Jacob with a tone of mild amusement. "I wasn't blaming him. You think I don't know how hard Voldy can be to resist? All I'm saying is, do you think he knew what he was getting into, when he was 11 and this whole thing started? Or do you think he was just doing what the wise old white-beard told him to do?"

Bella watched the exchange with a growing feeling of the same confusion she felt when she was called in school to answer questions not about 19 century British literature. "Edward," she whispered under her breath, "What's going on? Who are they talking about?"

Edward looked at her with a sad expression settling across his angelic, alabaster features. His eyes were the deep gold of tragedy. "They're talking about Harry," he sighed. "Harry Potter."

"Um..can some one clue me in?" questioned Bella in a voice that was more like a breath.

"Tom Riddle" began Dumbledore in a voice that was both weary and omnipotent was one of the most promising wizards that ever attended Hogwarts. Tom was brilliant and he knew it. He grew up to be Lord Voldemort, the darkest wizard of all time. He terrorized the magical community greatly killing off those that he deemed "impure." One night, he killed James and Lily Potter, but as he attempted to kill their son, Harry the boy lived and Voldemort, it seemed was no more. For you see, Lily Potter so loved Harry Potter that her protection ran through his veins. Harry survived the killing curse with only a lighting bolt scar, a reminder of his connection to Voldemort. This scar marked him as the chosen one. When Harry came to Hogwarts Voldemort began to rise to power it became clear that he was the only one who could defeat him. At last, Harry destroyed all of the parts of Voldemort's soul and Voldemort was reduced to a withering sickly babe in the Deathly Hallows. All remained well for about twenty years, but Voldemort's followers, The Death Eaters remained angry. Through the darkest of magic Voldemort was brought back, yet the connection between he and Harry was severed and he began his tyrannical hold on the magical community once more. Harry and his wife tried to defeat him, but it was impossible due to the fact that the connection was severed. Voldemort spared Harry Potter and is wife so that the could witness the horror that would befell on all the magical community. Harry was powerless against Voldemort and was driven to insanity. However, under the love and care of Ginny he was eventually restored to his senses and has become instrumental in bringing you, Bella together with Edward."

"What are you talking about Dumbledore?" asked Bella shaking. "This is crazy! I'm here in London, because I got a scholarship to study the works of the Bronte sisters with British Literature expert Dr. Harold Potter!" Bella widened her eyes in shock at the realization of what was happening. "Dr. Potter IS Harry Potter, isn't he?"


	6. Chapter 6

**All characters are property of Rowling and Meyer. I own nothing! A special thank you goes out to Nicholas Konstantin Nafpliotis! Your reviews were really helpful and encouraging. I hope this chapter meets your expectations! **

"But...but...he knows so much about Victorian literature!" she stuttered in distress. And-if he almost died the first time he tried to fight Volde-whatever his name is and then he went crazy, why would he get involved again?"

Dumbledore's piercing sapphire blue eyes filled with sadness behind his half-moon glasses. "He didn't want to, at first," he stated. "In fact, he left the wizarding world behind entirely, and threw himself into the study of that one witty muggle—what was her name—oh yes, Jane Austen."

"Little scaredy-pants," cracked Jacob under his breath.

"Shut up, Wolfboy," growled Luna, who had an angry glimmer buzzing in her eye like a nest of hornets. "As if you wouldn't have done the exact same thing. Except, oh wait, you can't read, can you?"

"Quiet!" thundered Dumbledore. "This is not the time to be bickering amongst ourselves!" His voice calmed like a pond freezing over in winter as he turned back to Bella. "In the end, his literary studies proved invaluable, because from the pages of Miss Austen, he began to realize the power of True Love. He realized that True Love is the only way to overcome an evil like Voldemort. He is the one who figured out what the prophecy meant, for it had stumped many of the greatest magical minds."

"What do you mean, he figured out the prophecy?" queried Bella. She glanced at Edward, then blushed crimson with embarrassment and mumbled "It seems pretty straight forward to me."

"That remains to be seen," intoned Dumbledore "Although we have no way of testing his theory, Harry- Dr. Potter- believes that child referred to in the prophecy is not a literal, flesh and blood child, but is actually-" he unintentionally dramatically took a deep breath "-the True Love that you and Edward have created together!"

Jacob pensively ran his hand through his raven hair. Dumbledore's words rang in his ear, "True Love." These words conjured images of Neville Longbotttom. Jacob pictured Neville with his black robes billowing about him-his hair wild and unkept and his placid steel gray eyes that held intensity. Jacob suddenly felt a pang, in his muscled chest. A voice of compassion filled his soul and he knew that he could not kill Bella Swan.

Bella's mind reeled in a million different directions. Bella, who mere hours ago had been ordinary girl had discovered that she held the fate of a world she never heard about in her hands. She was frightened to the very core of her being. How was a god supposed to love her?

Edward stood next to her, a vigilant guardian of a most precious jewel. He was fully prepared Jacob Black if needed. What little loyalty he had to Neville was gone.

Jacob Black strode across the lair and stared into Dumbledore's ice blue eyes that lay beneath a pair of delicate half-moon spectacles. "We have to leave the lair," he said in a voice that was oddly flat in is effort to conceal the war that was going on inside him.

Luna rolled her eyes with disgusted abandon. "And walk right into whatever trap you set for us? Nice try, Wolf Boy."

"No," countered Jacob, a small growl of irritation slipping into his tone, "I'm not trying to trick you. My boss sent me here to kill the Muggle girl, but- well, I work for him, not old Voldy. And I know what my boss is doing well enough to know that he would not want me to kill that girl. Not after hearing what I just heard. But my boss doesn't know that killing the girl is not in his best interest and since I haven't reported back, he's going to come looking for her. And I hate to break it to you, but everyone knows where the Lair is. So..."

"The dog is right," spat Edward. Much as he hated to concede any victory to his sworn mortal enemy, he felt an even stronger need to protect Bella, to get her out of danger at all costs, even the cost of his pride. "We need to get out of here before some Death Eater shows up." He wrapped Bella's hand in his own and she quivered at his cold marble touch.

"If we are to leave the Lair, there is only one place we can go," imparted Dumbledore. He extended his violet-robed arm and swirled his wand in complicated patterns. A crystal chalice sitting on the table in the middle of the Lair glowed a blinding silver for a moment. "Grab hold!" ordered Dumbledore. Everyone did so in a flurry of motion. Just at that moment, Neville burst into the Lair! Luckily, the portkey was already working and they flew through the air away from his stunned face and howl of dismay.

Just as suddenly as they had left, they landed in an office covered in an avalanche of papers. A head of messy black hair poked up from behind a desk, looking at them in utter confused non-understanding. "Dr. Potter!" exclaimed Bella.

"Why Hello Bella!" greeted Harry Potter. His emerald eyes darted back and forth from beneath round black spectacles that were slightly across his office at the small crowd office. With his index finger he pressed the bridge of his glasses against the skin between his eyes where a slight uni brow sometimes grew. It was obvious that Harry Potter was bewildered. In an effort to restore composure to his mien, he inhaled a shaky breath into his lungs, in hopes that it would give him some understanding. Alas, it did not, so instead he asked, "Bella, have you finished your paper on Foreshadowing in 'Jane Eyre'?"

"I have not Professor, I've been... I little... well.. occupied."

"Is that so?" inquired Harry in a faulty attempt to sound nonchalant.

"SHE KNOWS, HARRY!" shrieked Luna shaking her silvery blonde hair and stamping her feet!

Bella saw a wave of understating cross Professor Potter's face as he pressed his middle and index fingers against a lighting bolt shaped scar, that she had never seen before, for it was always hidden behind his messy black hair. To Bella, the viewing of the scar was proof Prophesy had made them kindred spirits. She realized that soon, she too would have her own scars to bear as a sign of her being marked.

* * *

Neville Longbottom heart ached in betrayal and guilt. His two right hand men had jumped ships. The stinging in his chest was almost unbearable. He pictured his parents in his attic with their vacant eyes and chalky skin. He heard their screams and moans within the caverns of his mind. Neville bent down on his knees and wept openly. Neville Longbottom hated war.


End file.
